gunshot (english version)
by Lecmat
Summary: Sahar is out for blood. She wants her revenge. Ziva is missing. The team discovers that her apartment has been the scene of a violente fight. What happened ? Where is Ziva ? Is she still alive ? The team is going to work hard to find out what happened and save Ziva.


-End of the day - the rain is pouring - outside of ziva's apartment-

Ziva was coming back from work after a long day at the office. She had just received a text message from Tony that made her smile. She was answering it as she was entering her apartment. She turned the lights on and dropped her stuff on the armchair next to the door.  
She walked inside her living room.

Suddenly, someone knocked at the door. She looked surprised. She looked for her gun in the room and noticed it on the table next to the armchair in the entrance. It knocked again. This time the knocking was louder. Something was wrong. She walked to the door, took her gun and looked through the spyhole. She looked astonished, almost shocked. She opened the door and looked at the man in front of her:  
\- "Adam ? What are you doing here ?"  
\- "I am here for you Ziva ! I don't have time to explain. You have to come with me. NOW!"  
\- "Why ? What's going on ?"  
-"They are after you, we have to go now"  
He was looking at the long corridor and seemed very nervous. Suddenly 2 men appears and Adam shouted "LOOK OUT !" and pushed Ziva inside her apartment as both men started shooting in Adam's direction.

Ziva and Adam went inside the living room to prepare for a fight. They were both in "fighting mode". Their guns ready to fire, they were both looking at the door. One of the men broke through the door and the gunfight started.  
Ziva shoot and jumped behind the sofa. She took her phone out of her pocket and dialed the last number she had called... Tony's number.

Adam tried to fire his gun again but it was out of ammo. He decided to jump out from behind the couch and fight the guy.

The other guy went for Ziva. She left the phone on the floor and disarmed the man.

-Tony's apartment- a few minutes before ziva's call-  
Tony was in his couch watching tv, eating some pasta with a glass of wine when his phone rang. He looked at the name on the screen and smiled when he saw "ZIVA".  
He hung up the phone and said  
\- "missing me already ?"  
He immediately lost his smile. The only thing he could hear was the gunshots and fighting sound from Ziva's apartment.  
-" ZIVA ! ZIVA WHAT'S GOING ON ? I'M ON MY WAY" he took his gun from the box on the bookshelf and rushed to the door.

On his way to Ziva's apartment he texted Gibbs and McGee:  
"GUNSHOT ZIVA'S PLACE !"

When he finally reached Ziva's apartment he saw Gibbs getting out of his car. A lot of people were on the street looking at the building facade, talking about what could have probably happened inside. Gibbs and Tony rushed in the building with their gun ready to fire. Tony was nervous. What were they about to discover ? Was Ziva alright ?

When they reached the door Tony noticed the gun holes on the door frame. Gibbs entered the apartment pointing his gun on whatever could be a threat. He shouted:  
"ZIVA!"  
Two bodies on the ground... dead for sure... men...unknown identities...blood on the walls... broken glass on the floor... broken glass covered with blood...  
Gibbs went to the bedroom, Tony to the bathroom...  
-"CLEAR!"  
-"CLEAR!"  
They both went back to the living room. They were looking at the bodies. Mcgee rushed inside the apartment. Gibbs and Tony pulled their gun and aimed at Mcgee.  
They chilled out when they realized it was just their co-worker.  
Mcgee looked around and turned to Gibbs and Tony with a worried look on his face:  
"What happened here ? Where is Ziva ?"  
Gibbs shook his head to indicate that there was no sign of their friend. Tony walked around in the room, he seemed completely lost.  
Gibbs said to mcgee:  
\- "Call Ducky"  
Mcgee went outside to call him.  
Gibbs was keeping an eye on Tony. His agent was looking at something on the floor. He grabbed a smashed framed picture on the floor. It was the picture of Ari, Ziva and Tali when they were kids. The glass was smashed and there was some blood on it.  
Gibbs put his hand on Tony's shoulder:  
-"don't touch anything... it's a crime scene"

\- 30 minutes later -  
Ducky has arrived. He was working on the bodies. Mcgee was taking blood samples and prints. Tony was taking pictures and Gibbs was interrogating Ziva's neighbors.

\- same time inside Adam's safe house -  
Ziva was pacing inside the small living room of Adam's personal safe house. She was like a lion in a cage. Adam walked in.  
-"we are safe. Nobody followed us, they don't know about this place"  
-"they" who ? What is going on ?"  
She seemed upset. Adam took her hand and led her to the couch.  
-"sit down" She scowled at him. He insisted "sit down please". She sat down. "After your father's death, one of Ari's former allies start looking for you. It seems like she is seeking for some kind of revenge"  
Ziva was a bit confused.  
-"Revenge ? Why ?"  
-"After you killed Ari, his organization was left with no leader. Things started to fall apart and Ari's former associates were killed or arrested. That woman, Mira Sahar Azam, she was captured and imprisoned. She hold you responsible for everything that they did to her. She wants you dead Ziva and she will do everything to get to you"  
After that last sentence Ziva looked terrified:  
\- "Tony... Gibbs... Mcgee... they are in danger... I must warn them" as she finished her sentence she got up and started pacing again.  
-"you can't, it's too dangerous!"  
-"NO! You don't understand!" She was now shouting "We are talking about my family here! If I hide she will have to get me out of my hideout and if she knows me like you say then she knows that my only weakness is them. They are the only thing I have left. She will get to them to take me out! I can't let that happen"  
-"ok I understand but you need to calm down ok. It is late and you are wounded. Let me fix your wound first. We will talk about a plan tomorrow"  
She had forgotten about her wound. It has happened during her close quarter fight with one of Sahar's men. He took a knife out and tried to stab her. He had managed to cut her arm, leaving her with a bleeding notch on it.  
Adam took out some first aid kit and he started healing her wounds.

\- 9am - inside of N.C.I.S Headquarter -  
Tony was looking at Ziva's desk. He had a sad and tired look on his face. He was lost in his thoughts. Was she all right ? Was she scared ? Did she need him ? Mcgee took him out of his thoughts by putting his hand on Tony's shoulder. It was the second time of the day that someone was doing that.  
-"you ok ?"  
-"what ? Yes ! Of course ! We have a missing agent and we have to find her..."  
-"missing agent ?" He looked at Tony with an questioning look "you know you can say it, right ? She is more than just an agent for you. I mean for all of us. She is our friend... she is... Ziva. The israelian ninja who always finds a way to make it out alive of the worse situations."  
-"what if it is different this time ?"  
Mcgee did not had time to answer that Gibbs rushed to his desk.  
-"talk to me!"  
Tony and Mcgee jumped from Tony's desk to the nearest screen and Mcgee clicked on the remote.  
-"Walter Drake and Jared Smith. They both had a very impressive criminal record. Bank robbery, assault, domestic abuse and the list goes on and on"  
Tony took the remote:  
-"They went to different correctional centers, they never worked for the same company BUT we found that they were both suspected to be part of a racist organization called "the 100%". They took part of violent demonstrations a few years ago. Maybe it is how they met."  
Gibbs was looking skeptically at the screen. He finally said.  
-"they were just henchmen, someone hired them. They probably had no idea who they were dealing with." Gibbs' phone rang: "Yes Abs" he listened carefully and after just a few seconds said "on my way" and closed his phone. He walked to the elevator and said "Dinozzo with me. Mcgee.."  
-"I find who hired them. On it boss".

\- inside of Abby's lab -  
Gibbs and Tony walked in. Abby turned to face them. She looked at Tony with sad eyes.  
-"Ha Gibbs! I have a good news and a bad news."  
-"what do you got Abs"  
"Ok! (She turned to her screens) the bad news is: I have found Ziva's blood on the samples. It was there, there and there (she scrolled pictures of the blood traces) BUT the good news is: I have also found Ziva's blood here next to the door and outside in the corridor. Judging by the direction and the shape of that drop of blood, Ziva was standing when she left the apartment. She was probably running when she got out. It's good Gibbs! It means Ziva was fine when she left."  
Tony corrected her "she was bleeding Abs, there is nothing good about that"  
She looked at Tony with an even more concerned look on her face.  
-"What else do you got Abs ?"  
She turned to Gibbs. She was worried about what she was about to say.  
-"i don't know if this is a good news or a bad news but... I have found matching prints on Ziva's apartment. I have found prints from the men who attacked Ziva, I've found your fingerprints Tony (Gibbs looked at Tony with a little smile on his face. Tony knew he had to avoid looking at Gibbs right now) and I have found his fingerprints..."  
She clicked on her mouse and the face of Adam Eshel appeared onscreen. Tony took a step forward. He knew him and just like Abby he did not know what to think about that information. He started to feel a mix of both jealousy and anger inside of him. Was he still an ally or did he turned out to be another one of Ziva's friend who betrayed her ? They were probably together right now.. Did they spent the night together ? They had sex ? He did not know and this thought was getting him sick.

\- 10 pm - Adam's safe house -  
Adam and Ziva were discussing their possibilities to take down Sahar. They had spent the entire day making calls to various "old friends" who could give them information to find Sahar.  
-"we need guns. We are not gonna take her down with the few ammo we have left"  
Ziva said:  
-"I know someone that will provide us with what we need"  
Adam smiled "of course you do"  
She smiled. Adam seemed tired. Ziva said:  
-"it's been a long day! We should get some sleep..."  
-"yeah, you right"  
Adam was heading to the couch, Ziva stopped him.  
-"no you should take the bed... I have slept in it last night... now it is your turn to take it."  
Adam was confused but he agreed.  
"Ok then. Good night my friend" he kissed her forehead, she smiled and Adam disappeared behind the bedroom door.  
Ziva looked at the door to be sure that it was closed. Once she was sure that he would not get out she took a pen and a paper and wrote some words on it. She hid the piece of paper under her pillow and took a few hours of sleep.  
Around 4 am she woke up and placed the piece of paper on the round table in the center of the room. She then took her necklace off and placed it on the table next to the piece of paper. She took her gun and left the place without making a noise. 

\- 2 hours later - Adam's safe house -  
Adam woke up and got out of the bedroom. He noticed that Ziva was not in the room but he first thought that she was in the bathroom. He then noticed the piece of paper on the table. He did not need to read it to know what it meant. Ziva was gone. He took the piece of paper and read it:  
[ I am sorry Adam, I can not let anyone else get hurt because of me.  
Tell Tony I am fine and give him my necklace.  
Ziva ]

\- 2 hours later - NCIS headquarter -  
Tony, Gibbs and Mcgee were working on Ziva's case. Gibbs phone rang.  
-"Gibbs..." he carefully listened to the man on the phone and hung up.  
-"Tony with me..."  
Tony jumped from his chair and followed Gibbs.  
-"something new boss ?"  
-"Adam Eshel is waiting for us on the lobby..."  
Once in the lobby Tony and Gibbs walked toward Adam. Tony had a closed expression on his face. Judging by his expression Tony was still wondering if he was planning on tackling him or just shaking his hand.  
-"Agent Gibbs, Agent Dinozzo" he held out his hand in Gibbs direction but Gibbs did not respond to it.  
-"where is she ?"  
-"I don't know"  
Tony had an angry smile. He was now really considering "the tackle" option. Gibbs said:  
-"I don't have time to play your little game!"  
-"neither do I. She left ok. When I woke up this morning she was gone". Tony though: "when I woke up ? Like "when I woke up in her bed or ... ?" He stopped and focus back on what Adam was saying.  
-"She only left this" he gave the piece of paper to Gibbs and he turned to Tony:  
-"and she left this for you" he held him the necklace. Tony took it and he did not know what to think. Ziva never took her necklace off. Why now ? Was it a message ? Was it a goodbye ?  
After reading the paper Gibbs said:  
-"come on ! You have a lot to explain"  
They walked to the elevator and left the lobby.

\- NCIS open space -  
Adam was giving all the information he had gathered about Sahar.  
-"Ziva thinks that you are in danger. She only wants to protect you Gibbs"  
-"that's my job to protect her"  
-"you know her Gibbs, she has lost too many people. If you want to find Ziva you have to find Sahar."  
-"Alright! Let's get to it then" As he was leaving his desk to go to Vances office he said to Adam: "you stay inside the building. If he tries to leave: shoot him"  
-"got it boss" replied Tony with a satisfied smile. Adam and Tony were both facing each other, Tony was standing next to his desk and Adam was next to Gibbs' desk. They looked at each other for a few seconds before Adam decided to end it and turned to Mcgee's desk in order to help him. 

\- 10 pm - same day - old abandoned boat cemetery -  
The night was dark. There was only the sound of water that resonated between the hull of the old ships half dismantled.  
A shape got out from the shadow. Ziva was slowly walking in the ships direction. She had her gun ready to fire. She was looking around to be sure that nobody could surprise her. She was looking at the names written on the ships. She took a piece of paper out of her pocket. The name "Aurora" was hand written on it. She took it back into her pocket and kept looking for the right ship. She stopped. In front of her was a large ship still floating on the water. The name was partially obscured over time, but she knew it was the right ship. She managed to get onboard without anyone noticing her. She turned on a corner and noticed a man with a automatic riffle next to him. He was smoking a cigarette. She grabbed him and started choking him with her arms around his neck. He died after a minute. And Ziva left him on the ground. She did it again with another man in a corridor but as she was strangling him another man appears. He aimed his gun to Ziva and shoot. The bullet went straight into the chest of the man Ziva was strangling. He screamed and fell down on the ground. Ziva hide inside a room and when the shooter aimed again at her she aimed at him first and shoot him. He died right away.  
Ziva seemed upset. They are now waiting for her. What she did not know was that those 3 dead men were the only men Sahar had hired. Ziva proceeded further inside the ship.

While Ziva was looking for Sahar on the ship, an NCIS car entered the harbor. Onboard was Gibbs, Mcgee and Tony. They had finally managed to locate Sahar's possible hideout. Gibbs stopped the car and they all got out from the car. They were wearing bulletproof jackets. They walked to the ships and looked everywhere to get a sign of Sahar's position. Suddenly the sound of gunshots was heard. They looked at each other and started to run in the gunshots direction. They got onboard of the Aurora and discovered a first dead body... Gibbs tried to find a pulse on the man's neck:  
-"dead"  
Tony looked at him and asked: "ziva?" Gibbs nodded.  
They kept searching.

On the other side of the ship Sahar was nervous. None of her men were answering their radio and she heard gunshots. She knew what was happening. She walked outside to see if she could see someone. Nobody. She walked back inside the corridor and she saw her. Ziva was pointing her gun at Sahar.  
-"You found me ! Congratulation. Agent David". She had insisted on those last words.  
-"it's over Sahar."  
-"Over ? I actually think that it has just started" As she was finishing her sentence she threw her radio at Ziva to distract her and rushed in her direction in order to disarm her. They fought in the corridor. The fight was fierce. Finally Sahar who was now badly hurt ran to the door. Ziva was looking for her gun but she could not find it. Sahar took it. She took her knife out and walked out of the corridor. She was also badly hurt. Her left hand was on her right ribs. She was having difficulties to breath but she was determined to find Sahar. When she took the stairs leading to the upper deck. The pain on her ribs was not helping. She walked out of the stairs and what she saw terrified her.  
Mcgee on the ground looking at Sahar who was pointing a gun on him. He was also terrified but he was relieved for just a few seconds when he saw Ziva's face. His nose was bleeding and his gun was on the ground. Ziva looked at it. It was impossible to reach the gun without getting shot, even for her. She calmly said:  
-"you don't have to do this. Enough people had died for our sins. You wanted me dead, here I am"  
She smiled at Ziva:  
"We both know that you don't care about your own death. You are only scared about your family, dying because of you."  
Then everything went very fast. In less than 30 seconds Gibbs and Tony walked out and saw Ziva, Sahar and Mcgee. They both had no time to realize what was going on. Sahar tried to aim at Tony but Ziva took that opportunity to jumped to her and stabbed Sahar directly on the heart. The sound of a gunshot was heard. The last thing that Tony saw was Ziva and Sahar, both falling down from the ship's deck into the water. They rushed to the edge of the deck. It was dark and the only thing he could see was the movement of the water.  
The 3 agents rushed off the ship. Tony jumped into the water. He noticed a body and grabbed it. He was praying that it was Ziva's body and that she was alive. He took her head between his hands and took her hair away from her face. THANKS GOD IT'S HER !  
He swam back to Gibbs who lift her up to the ground.  
Tony knelled next to her and he tried to listen to know if she was still breathing. She was not. He started CPR.  
-"COME ON ZIVA ! COME ON !"  
Mcgee was calling for an ambulance and Gibbs was looking at Ziva. He noticed the blood on her lower abdomen. He remembered the gunshot they heard when Ziva had jumped on Sahar. When Ziva had stabbed Sahar, her whole body had tensed and her finger pulled the trigger.  
-"Come on Ziva, please don't leave me now"  
Ziva head moved and she spit out water.  
-"yes! That's it Ziva, easy"  
She groaned. The whole body was painful. Gibbs was on Ziva's side and he pushed his hand on Ziva's bleeding wound. She groaned even more. Tony took her hand:  
-"I know, I know, look at me" he put his other hand on her wet face "you gonna be fine Ziva ok ?" She was fighting the pain. "You don't leave me ok ! Promise me". She slowly nodded. The pain was to strong. She groaned once more and she fainted. Tony took her jacket off, covered Ziva's body with it and took her hand back in his.  
10 minutes later the ambulance arrived.  
The paramedic asked to Tony and Gibbs to give them space to work. Tony was looking at Ziva. At first he could only see her hand but one on the paramedic stood up and went back to the ambulance. Then Tony saw Ziva's face. She had a oxygen mask on the face and her eyes were style closed. It was one of the most painful thing he has ever seen. The woman he was in love with was dying and he could not do anything but pray.  
10 more minutes and Ziva was on the ambulance. On her way to the nearest hospital. Tony was on the ambulance with her. He was holding her hand as if it was Ziva's life in his hand. He was looking at her face, still praying that she will survive. He was slowly stroking her forehead with his thumb. He was desperate.  
After 15 minutes, the ambulance reached the hospital and Ziva was rushed into the trauma room. Tony was not allowed to be inside. He stayed in the corridor. He was pacing through the corridor like a lion in a cage. He noticed the blood on his hands and his shirt.

\- back to the old abandoned boat cemetery -  
Gibbs and Mcgee were waiting for Ducky and NCIS agents to take over the crime scene.  
Ducky arrived. He already knew what had happened here.  
-"how is she ?"  
-"don't know duck'" Gibbs was clearly worried. His agent, the agent he was considering like his daughter was maybe dead by now and he did not know about it. "There is a woman's body on the water duck' and 3 more bodies inside the ship"  
-"I will take care of that Jethro. Don't worry. Go. You should be at the hospital with Tony, not here"  
Gibbs looked at the old coroner and nodded. A team of NCIS agents were already working on the crime scene, there was nothing to be worry about. Except Ziva. Gibbs and Mcgee walked back to the car. Gibbs drove as fast as he could. Mcgee was holding on the handle and he was doing his best not to throw up. Once at the hospital they both got out from the car but Mcgee needed some time to get his stomach on the right side: "Go on boss I am right behind you".  
Gibbs walked inside. He saw Tony through the glass door and joined him.  
-"hey! How is she ?"  
Tony turned to Gibbs.  
-"They are taking her to the O.R."  
They both stayed in the corridor until a nurse came by to lead them to a waiting room.

\- Two hours later - waiting room -  
Tony was sitting on a chair, his elbows on his knees and his head on his fists. He was wondering if it was a good sign or a bad sign that they still had no news. Gibbs was outside talking to Vance on the phone to give him some updates on the situation. Mcgee was standing next to the window. He was looking at the cars down in the street. Finally a nurse came in.  
-"Ziva David's family ?"  
Tony jumped from his chair. Mcgee joined him.  
-"YES! we are"  
-"She is out from surgery. She has lost a lot of blood and her heart stopped several times but she made it through. She is not out of the wood yet but she is fighting."  
Tony closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. Mcgee put his hand on his shoulder as a sign of support.  
-"When will we be able to see her ?"  
-"They are taking her to the intensive care unit. As soon as she's there someone will come to get you to her. She is sedated so she probably won't wake up for a few hours."  
-"ok, thank you" 

20 minutes later, abby has arrived and a nurse was there to take the team to Ziva's room. The team decided to let Tony go first. He entered the room. She was there.. plugged to a heart monitor and a life support. She seemed peaceful.  
He walked through the room to sit by her side. He took her hand.  
-"You have to fight Ziva, there is too many things I have to tell you"  
He stayed by her side for the entire night.  
Around 6am Ziva opened her eyes. She was a bit confused. She looked around her and realized she was in an hospital room. She felt something on her hand. She look on her right side and saw Tony. He was sleeping with his head on the mattress, still holding her hand. She smiled, she was finally feeling safe again. A nurse came in. She whispered:  
-"welcome back miss David" she smiled. The nurse looked at Tony who was still asleep and checked on Ziva's vital signs:  
-"He has never left you since you were admitted. You are lucky"  
She answered with a smile and said: "I know"  
The nurse left the room and the sound of the door woke Tony up. He looked at the door and then looked at Ziva. She had an amused smile on her face.  
Tony looked surprised for a second. He looked at her with his famous charming smile and said: "hi!"  
He stretched his arms.  
-"how do you feel ?"  
With a sigh she answered:  
-"tired"  
-"everyone would be tired after falling from that height. Except Gibbs maybe ... but the guy has coffee that runs through his veins so..." He was using jokes as a way to hide that he was actually very nervous. They talked for a few minutes about the case. Tony's voice softened, He was looking more serious: "You should have called me".  
-"I did..." she was trying to avoid that conversation.  
-"I could have helped you"  
She took his face between her hands:  
-"I had to do this alone, Tony. This was my burden. I could not let anyone else get hurt for me. Especially you."  
Their faces were very close. Someone knocked on the door. They both seemed frustrated, it was not the right time. She took her hands off and said:  
-"come in !"

The doctor came in:  
-"Hi miss David" he shook Ziva and Dinozzo's hands. "It is nice to finally meet you. You were very lucky. The bullet did some serious damage but I was able to repair it"  
-"when will I be able to leave ?"  
This sentence made the doctor laugh, he was surprised that someone who just got shot, who fell from the height of a ship and who almost drowned was ready to get back to it's everyday life as if nothing had happened.  
-"We will have to check on you for a few more days. Then you will be able to get back home."  
-"how long ?"  
He was surprised by her insistence.  
-"I see that you don't want to stay with us miss David... if your results are good maybe you will be able to leave by tomorrow. But you need to stay under surveillance."  
-"I will keep a eye on her doctor" said Tony  
-"alright then, I will come back in a few hours to check on your results"  
-"thank you doctor" said Ziva.  
One the doctor out, Ziva pushed the covers away and tried to get up.  
-"I don't think that you should get up" Ziva" he walked around the bed to reach her.  
-"I am fine Tony"  
He laughed  
-"I have heard you say that so many times..." before he had time to finish Ziva groaned and stumbled because of the pain in her abdomen. Tony caught her as she almost fell down on the ground.  
-"ok easy, easy. Let's just stick to the bed ok"  
Ziva looked at Tony with an amused and charming look. Tony realized what he had just said.  
"Is that a proposition, Tony ?"  
Tony laughed:  
-"ha! Maybe..." He helped her get back into her bed and said: "speaking of beds... who took the couch ?"  
-"what ?" She was confused.  
-"With Adam ?"  
Ziva knew that Tony would be jealous so she decided to play just a little bit:  
-"we both did..."  
-"ho! I see..." he was trying to hide his deception but it was clearly not working.  
-"Tony..."  
-"No it's ok... you are two grown ups and ... and..."  
-"TONY!... he took the couch on the first night ... I took it on the second night..."  
-"oh! Ok.. fine.. I mean...nevermind" he was relieved.  
During the afternoon, a nurse came to make some examination. Then Abby, Mcgee and Gibbs came by to check on Ziva. Ziva's room was full of flowers from friends and co-workers.

-the next day - Tony's apartment -  
Tony opened the door of his apartment.  
-"There you go" She entered.  
-"why do you always come to my place when something awful happens to you ?" Said Tony while he was putting Ziva's stuff in his bedroom.  
-"you should ask that to yourself ?  
-"hm... you right... we have to change that. You can take my bedroom. I will sleep in the couch" He looked at Ziva with a mocking smile. She smiled back. Her eyes were suddenly drawn by a framed pictures on the table. She walked to it and took it. It was the framed picture of her brother and sister, the one that had been smashed during the fight. She did not recognized the frame. Tony was standing behind her:  
-"The frame was smashed. I tried to find the same frame but I couldn't so I took that one"  
She had tears in her eyes. She was very moved by this kind gesture.  
He took a step forward to place himself behind her and place her necklace back on her neck.  
-"There. Now everything can be back the way it was before"  
She looked at the necklace, she touched it with her fingers. She was weighting the pros and cons... She almost died two days ago... She had no time waste! She turned back and said:  
-"I don't want everything to be back the way it was before" and she kissed him.  
It was the most enjoyable kiss she had ever had. He took her face in his hands and kissed her as if his life was depending on it. He cursed himself for having waited so long to kiss her. Someone knocked on the door. He was now cursing that person whoever it was. He kissed her one last time, sighed and went to open the door.  
He was even more upset when the man he saw was Adam.  
-"Adam! You ! here !" He was trying his best not to show his current state of mind.  
-"Is it a bad time ?"  
Tony and Ziva answered at the same time:  
-"yes!"  
-"no!"  
Adam looked confused: "I was just coming to say goodbye. I am going back to Israel"  
Tony's thoughts: [Thank god!]  
Ziva hugged Adam:  
-"thank you Adam"  
-"you welcome Ziva! I hope you will be happy, there is nothing keeping you away from that now"  
-"have a safe trip my friend"  
She hugged him on more time. Before leaving, Adam held his hand out to Tony. This time Tony took his hand and shook it as a sign of gratitude. He had probably saved the life of the woman he loves. He said:  
-"let me walk you back to your car Adam"  
Ziva and Adam were both surprised. Tony turned to Ziva and said:  
-"I will be right back"  
-"Do I have to be worried ?"  
He smiled and closed the door.

-in the street in front of Adam's car -  
-"I wanted to thank you Adam. For what you did for Ziva."  
-"you don't have to. I would do anything for her. She's my friend. Now I hope that you have finally realized that I would never betray her"  
-"yeah! I know"  
-"Take care of her my friend. She deserves to be happy"  
They shook each others hands once again and before releasing Tony's hand Adam said with a smile:  
-"and if you break her heart... Now I know were you live..."  
Tony nodded with a smile and looked at Adam's car as it was disappearing into the traffic.

-same day - Tony's apartment-  
Ziva was sitting on the couch. Tony was in the kitchen cooking dinner. Ziva was lost in her mind. Tony got out from the kitchen carrying two plates of pastas he said:  
-"et voila"  
Ziva smiled at him and Tony poured some wine in their glasses. He gave one to Ziva, raised his. Ziva looked at him with a questioning look on her face:  
-"what do we raise our glasses to?"  
Tony smiled:  
-"hmm... to you being safe" he paused "and to rule number 12.."  
The both smiled, Ziva finally said:  
-"to rule number 12"

-the end-


End file.
